Averii
Born deep below the urban hive that is the surface of Irk, within the automated heart of the life-creating smeeteries, the life of Invader Averii lay in the unconquered stars above - and he knew this well as he grew up in the depths of the Academy, growing from an anxious child into a survivor. Honed as any vat-bred smeet was in the art of warfare, each year saw him grow closer both the stars, and his future. However, he likely didn't see himself being assigned to a Military Training World, and his position as a 'Senior Invader' being the only thing keeping him from a full PAK re-encoding after being just a little late. Not to be mistaken for his Nightmare-World doppelganger. TL;DR - Biography Summary Version Hatched out of a cloning vat as per the standard, Averii was a naive young cadet, heavy and quick with his hands, and light on his feet. Pricked and prodded by the Academy Overseers, he grew out of most of his innocence rather quickly as his mind was packed with all manner of combat data. A fierce, brutal, and at times unhinged fighter, he still has a soft spot for his friends and the little people (literally). Graduating from the academy, he led a team of friends, and though he considered himself a professional, his little soft spot eventually gave way to one of his few 'failings'; a relationship with one of his subordinates, Entra. Becoming an officer, it all seemed like he was set for life; respected, experienced, and skilled at his job, he reveled in it, and was on course for either a quiet retirement, or a fast-track to glory as the trials for the Elites began to draw near. Then, however, Pirates robbed almost all of it of any meaning in a single battle, wiping out nearly his entire squad, making a slave-run, and running off with more than a few good friends - with Entra in tow. Thus, for the past 50 years Averii's been clawing his way up the Elite, hunting Pirates and Rebels, seeking to pay what only blood will pay for. Timeline Version Goes from birth to present. * Year 0 - Birth; induction into Academy. 169 years prior to present. Horrible Painful Overload Day Part One occurs. Averii meets and befriends Lek and Mit. * Early Academy years. * Year 10 - Despite zeal and promise, Averii displays a weak will, and a weak resolve. Fails initial assessment in a surrender, ''of all things. * Year 10 - Following the first assessments issued to Averii's batch, he is selected for one of multiple examples to be made to the rest via public shock-flog. Averii is shocked (quite literally) into shaping up. * Year 11 - Averii first meets Lurch. Soon, first fights Lurch due to discrepancies and accusations of 'being a total arrogant jackass', among further disagreements in methodology and command. * Year 5? - Averii first meets Entra. Befriends her; begins defending her due to Lurch's influences and continued 'arrogant jackass' comments. * Year 95 - Entra graduates early. Ave and company bid farewell; promises are made to keep in touch. * Military Years. * Year 100 - Averii graduates from the Academy with honors, and secures a squad command position over teammates Lek, Mit, and Lurch as Squad 223. Assigned aboard Viral Tank 0451, ''Vengeance, under Captain Talbolt. Entra soon returns to the team after a reencoding and change of career plans, replacing Lurch after another incident in which Lurch is promoted to 'manipulative bastard'. * Year 10? - Planet Jacker-Irken treaty signed after brief skirmishes. * Year 103 - Averii receives a promotion, and becomes an Officer. * Year 104 - 223's service posting ends aboard the Vengeance. Posting aboard a Science Vessel is selected; Squad 223 then serves as chief security detail aboard the vessel. * Year 106 - Security posting ends; reassigned to frontline duty in combat over worlds of strategic importance versus the Meekrob. Begin service under Major Strakke as part of the 12th Karkians. * Year 107 - 223 nearly collapses under pressures of frontline combat stagnating. Entra is nearly annihilated in combat after a poorly timed retreat into friendly artillery; guilt shoves the team into a serious, if brief, period of refocus. Averii blames himself rather intensely, eventually confessing to a 'soft spot' for Entra. She reciprocates. * Year 108 - Entra makes a full recovery; 223 completes their assignment on the front lines, and are delegated to garrison duty on the homeworld to recover after the past two years. * Year 110 - Service under Strakke ends. 223 reenlists aboard the Vengeance, aiming to spend an entire tour aboard their first posting again. However, soon after returning, explosive sabotage occurs, and Mit is blamed. Adjucator Skabb takes command of the ship, and after an interrogation, finds Mit innocent. Skabb begins a personal crusade aboard the ship, tracking traces of conspiracy and treason. * Year 111 - Averii and Entra confront Lurch in a final fight. Lurch is promoted to 'backstabbing traitorous sonuvabitch' before his summary 'execution'. Adjucator Skabb's investigation is satisfied. 223 resumes duty. * Year 11? - Tallest Miyuki is killed. The Vortians are blamed; the Irk-Vort schism begins. * Year 119 - On return voyage from lengthy deployment, the Vengeance is ambushed. It's sister ship is destroyed, the vessel itself crippled and boarded by pirates. Majority of command staff are slaughtered; massive casualties suffered; Captain Talbolt temporarily paralyzed and blinded. Averii takes command and leads a last stand. Irken Forces suffer continual losses, despite best efforts; Lek and Mit are killed. Reinforcements respond, and drive off pirates; Entra is captured in the retreat, dragged off either dead or alive. * Elite Years. * Year 120 - Averii is given his final orders from Talbolt; settle the debt. Irken Elite trials occur; Averii enters, and passes. * Year 1?? - Averii is assigned to Mydra. Despite the success and effectiveness yielded by their partnership, they soon break apart. * Year 1?? - Averii inducted into the Invaders for Operation Impending Doom; soon after, he is technically killed during a training exercise. Ave is resuscitated in critical condition, and is put into a healing coma. * Year 1?? - Invader Zim begins a misguided rampage across Irk, nearly destroying the planet. Averii awakens, and as one of the only trained Invaders left standing, is put into standby. * Year 16? - Averii recalled to Active Duty to assist in the training of next Invaders. Given rank of 'Senior Invader'. * Year 168 - Averii incurs the wrath of the Tallest when he fails to show up on time to the Great Assigning. As punishment, he is assigned to Hobo 13. * Year 169 - Present year. Biography Early Life Firestarter No one starts as at the top; no one's born an Invader. You claw your way up to the very top. Born about 170 Standard Years ago, during the last century or so of Almighty Tallest Miyuki's reign, Averii was a vatbred Irken male, wide-eyed and ready for duty the minute he awoke in the catacombs of Irk. In the few hours preceding the first Horrible Painful Overload Day, the 'whole of Irken Knowledge' was downloaded into his PAK, and he was shipped off to the Academy. Dumped into a uniform, and shoved into a hall filled with dozens of other newborns, Averii was quick to socialize among his batchmates. Unfortunately, riding on the coattails of their birth was the chaos of Horrible Painful Overload Day. Explosions, screams, and darkness swept across the sector, spreading throughout the cavernous expanses of Smeeteries affected by a mysterious overload. Left in the dark, packed like sardines in a can, panic swept over the assembly chamber as the smeets were left alone and afraid, trapped in a metal box, with Ave as no special exception. However, as he cowered in the dark, afraid, he glimpsed an odd sparking in the corner - and then, for the first time in his life, he glimpsed the dance of fire as a pair of young males huddled around the charred, burning remains of loose wiring with excited hoots and hollers. Although the rest of the smeets seemed to cower from the fire, he found himself drawn to the light and warmth, taking a seat and introducing himself tentatively. Eventually, however, when the Overseers came, prying the doors open, they were outraged to find that a solid quarter of their assembly chamber had been burnt by a few smeets. A few hours of reprimanding later, the three were let off with a few chores. Thus, Averii met his first true friends, the twins Lek and Mit. Nicknamed the Firestarters, they stuck together clear through the rest of their days of the Academy - and then some. Although left a bit jittery and nervous after the incident, the Firestarters soon set about their academy lives as classes started up once more. Although young, he displayed promise; quick-witted, fast on his feet, and heavyhanded (for a smeet), with some training and growth, he'd make a fine front-line soldier - as would most of those of his batch. So, to that end, he trained, bringing a rare zeal and energy to his actions and studies that seemed lacking in others. For ten years, Averii fought and studied, striving to perform his duty, eager to live up to the Empire's expectations - while also never losing sight of those he considered 'friend'. Long story short, however, it wasn't enough. Reform Facing a full-on simulated assessment of everything from his skills, to his spelling, to his speech, it wasn't a lack of effort on his part. It wasn't a lack of strength, a lack of speed, or even a lack of intelligence -'' rather, in the end, it was a weal will coupled with a weak resolve. Strong, but hesitant, Averii ''did display promise - but he was flawed. Hesitation and indecision got not just him, but even his teammates destroyed in combat as his usual zeal was overridden. He'd be outmaneuvered, too conservative, too timid in combat to send in the killing blow - or to anticipate it - and in one particular case, even surrendered as his teammates were slaughtered around him as his focus failed to keep him on task. Outraged, when it time came to make examples to his batchmates, he was a prime pick for the Overseers as they marked cadet after cadet for all kinds of particularly nasty punishments - in his case, a punitive shock-flog. Or, in more contemporary terms, public whipping. Ashamed, scorned, and publicly humiliated, Averii found himself isolated from most of his 'friends' as he was left to think over his actions, and the stinging, bleeding cuts in his back as Lek and Mit tried to help him cope. With his naivety quite literally shocked and whipped out of him, young Ave set his mind to the task - and only the task. Taking a more bitter and cynical outlook on those around him, Averii was filled with determination as he saw who his true friends were - and who he could call his enemy. After all, he'd called many people his friend - and most of them had just up and abandoned him to be left alone, laughing as they left him in the dirt. The first thing that Averii did was drop surrender from his vocabulary - before it came back as an insult. Then, he did his damned best to settle the score, taking a chip out of more than a few teeth, and soon, nearly everyone all but 'forgot' the incident - either being on the wrong end of a shock-spear, fist, or a few (not-so) tall-tales and rumors. Among the few holdouts was an older cadet by the name of Lurch. Self-described by Averii as an 'arrogant jackass' to his face, he was one of the first of Averii's old 'friends' to turn on him - and one of the most stubborn, as the two began a feud that would prove to last an entire century, starting and ending in a brawl. Shrugging off the humiliation, Averii soon began to hit his goals, becoming a prized and vengeful spark in the academy, through either cunning brutality, or brutal cunning - yet he kept a soft spot for his real friends. Meeting Entra Another year, another assessment. At 50, Averii was still rather young by Irken standards, still considered a smeet - as he would be until he was 100. Yet, he did as well as those twice his age. Carving an infamous reputation for himself among his batchmates, Averii had made damned sure to do his best after his first failure - and though there were bumps in the road, he charged right across them, be they math, history, science, or, in this case, a certain arrogant jackass by the name of Lurch. Pitted against him in the closing stages of the year's latest sim-test, the battle was quick, but dirty. Lek and Mit lasted only a few seconds at best; two thirds of Averii's team eliminated by Lurch's latest catches. Pawns, of a sort, Averii had long ago seen through Lurch's tricks; more often than not, he couldn't care less about them, most of them being blind and arrogant enough to follow a man as manipulative as him. Thus, as Averii strangled the life from Lurch, it was pure catharsis; nevermind the hole he'd gouged in his gut, or the chunks he'd taken out of his arms. Sometimes, you just needed to strangle ''someone. Though, as Averii returned the favor to Lurch and his cronies, getting ready to finish the last one off he couldn't help but pause as one in particular screamed, backing away from him in fear, eyes wide with terror, their weapon long knocked away from them. For a moment, he saw himself. Too much of himself. Paralyzed by fear; alone. For that moment, he felt something. Pity. With a sigh, he lowered his spear, and offered her his hand, and a fair fight for a female by the name of Entra. Most of Lurch's little 'minions' were just swept up in his praise and arrogance. Most of them, anyway. Sometimes, he just needed a little bit of fear, and a little bit of intimidation. In the end, he might've won the fight, sure... But she won his interest, along with some attention from higher up as they began to see more of eachother. Although a bit apprehensive of Entra, the Firestarters took her in; Averii in particular becoming rather close to her. Serving as an example, he set about convincing her to sever their ties with Lurch, and break free of his manipulation. Although a bit mixed in effectiveness, being a bit more naive and timid than he, she proved ''rather capable - in fact, far more than Averii was, when push came to shove. Late Academy Although still fueled by his drive to win, as the years went on, Averii eventually came to relax more - especially after his meeting with Entra began to ground him. Finding themselves in eachother's classes, as they moved up, they proved quite capable. Averii himself was actually quite good with numbers, and intuitive with things like angles and guessing weight, not to mention his handiness when it came to improvising, whereas Entra positively shined when it came to computing and science. Enjoying eachother's strengths, they also came to enjoy one another's company, and even Lek and Mit came to appreciate her as a member of the Firestarters. As the end of their first century drew near, they came to have good times - but the future loomed ahead. Entra began to make plans, looking towards an early graduation and a science carreer - Averii, meanwhile, having come to relish combat, looked to put himself on track for a field command, the universal dream of Eliteship sweeping him up. Yearning to live up to legends such as the [[Debthunters|''Debthunters,]] Imperial Fists,'' or the Devastis Brawlers, he hoped for the day that the Firestarters could join such hallowed names; that along with his friends, they'd become legends. However, the dream began to slip as Entra latched on to hers, and began to ride it out. Having struck a bargain with her Overseer, and unhindered by Lurch, she graduated with honors half a decade early. Planning to serve the rest of her five years in the military, and to use the service to catapult her into a top science academy, it came bittersweet - but not as much of a surprise, in hindsight. Saying their goodbyes, Entra promised to keep in touch with them as she rode the lift out alone. A few years later, Averii would follow. Military Service Preliminaries Graduating with honors of his own, the the Firestarters were reunited again as Averii's batch was finally released to the surface - finally considered true Irkens, and smeets no longer - with one of the first people they meet being a familiar blue-eyed female. Having hit the end of her deployments, Entra returned to Irk to catch her friends as they rode the lift up - and together, they spent a fair few days partying and catching up on what they'd been doing. When he told her he was heading into the military as a squad leader with Lek and Mit, she was ecstatic, being very happy for them all, and she absolutely beamed about how her plans to reach her dream science posting were going. However, the best he could give her was a halfhearted thanks; she'd dashed a quarter or so of his hopes in a few brief words. Squads were usually made of at least four people, after all. The festivities soon grew quiet, and as the time to serve drew near, Averii did ask if she had any recommendations. She gave him a name; Talbolt. They submitted their documents soon after, and with what seemed like their final voyage, they set off. Averii himself was slated for almost half a decade attached to a Viral Tank; a carrier-type vessel, commanded by this 'Talbolt'. Entra, meanwhile, got the best thing she could've hoped for - Vortian Research Station. She'd be dropped off at her dream job as their ship made to link up with the Armada. Years 0 to 4 - VT0451 Inducted into the ranks of the Irken War Machine, Averii had lined up a full ten year tour of service as the head of his own squad. Clad in flexible armor, and given a spear and a rifle, it was almost what he dreamed it'd be. Almost. The squad was built of four men. Lek was there, of course; a sharpshooter, if talkative, but consistently reliable as he'd always been. Mit was by his side, as was only fitting; you didn't have one without the other, and he himself was content with his job handling any and all demolitions. Averii, meanwhile, played both the role of command and recon, with their fourth slot rounded out by... Lurch, of all people. He wasn't so bad, though; not at first; but the dream of the Firestarters had quietly died for Averii. Spoiled by Lurch, and Entra's pursuit of education, the Squad's name burned in slowly; a simple three-digit serial. 223. Boarding his first assignment, Averii found himself aboard the Viral Tank Vengeance. Entra's home for the past couple years or so, the ship was still relatively new, taking on fresh crew and supplies. The crew was agreeable, friendly, even, as his team got itself settled; the Captain himself, in fact, came in and met his new crew. Named Talbolt, the name was familiar to Averii (due in no small part thanks to Talbolt's own service history) - and it would continue to grow familiar as time went on, as he proved to be one of the friendliest men Averii met. Chillingly, however, was how Lurch seemed to be fighting to take that spot - adopting what at times seemed like genuine praise and interest, to his disgust. Averii quickly grew to like the Vengeance, familiarizing himself with all the passages and weapons systems he could (to the annoyance of the technical staff), and especially Talbolt, once he'd connected a few dots. After all, when in the presence of one's smeethood role model, you can only restrain yourself for so long. However, as time began to drag on, Averii soon began to try and seek out Entra, trying to make things 'right' in the little time they had - but he'd always just miss her, or somehow slip by as she herself seemed to avoid her old friends. They had less than two weeks before she was supposed to be dropped off, after all. She'd continue to evade him until just about the very last minute; coincidentally, just about the same time Lurch decided to turn his sights on her, and showed his true colors. He'd only gotten one glimpse before he charged in - Entra on the ground, Lurch's fist up in the air - but it was all that he needed to get his blood boiling as he shoved through a crowd, and into Lurch's back. He only had him for a few moments, before Lek and Mit dragged him off - but he made every second count, leaving as much of a bloody and mangled mess as he could, promoting Lurch from arrogant jackass to manipulative bastard. Breaking up the commotion, Talbolt, a crew-first Captain, was hard pressed; ultimately, however, to Averii's dismay, he gave Lurch two options. Stay aboard, or get out. Lurch, stubborn as ever, despite shattered teeth and a shredded arm, opted to stay - though Averii made it clear he had no place in 223 - the Firestarters, as he corrected himself. Left with a hole in their Squad, Entra surprised them all by offering to give up her dream job, having grown tired of what would've been a self-imposed isolation rather quickly. Overjoyed, the four, reunited, took it up with Talbolt. Finding himself fond of the idea, Talbolt greenlit it, and a reencoding later, Entra took up the role of Field Technician - the squad's resident computer and robotics expert - and finally, the Firestarters were assembled. Running trials by fire in bulk over the next four years, the squad came to work together quickly, efficiently, and effectively - though cleanly was another thing entirely. Each of them had been trained from birth to handle a battlefield, and they did make it show; Averii himself reveled in it, proving quite capable of the role 'Close Quarters Specialist' as he turned what was otherwise a nonlethal stun weapon into a flesh-melting mangutter. He certainly had a wide spectrum to work with, too, from rebels, to aliens, to AI, even rebellious alien AI plus everything inbetween. However, together, it was a sort of organized chaos. The team was, at times, a walking banter. Lek was a motormouth, and a rather racy one, too; he'd draw Entra's ire, and Averii's shock while Mit would just chuckle it off, and then give them all heart attacks as he planted a shot square between the eyes of an enemy sniper. Mit was similar; befitting of one being Lek's brother, yet his particular thing was fire, and other hazardous materials he'd play with, exhibiting a childlike energy and simplicity - before using a single bomb to level an entire building. Entra, meanwhile, was concerned about everything - ''although just as skilled (and better, he'd admit) than Averii in any given type of combat, she was the closest thing they had to a pacifist. A minor hemophobe, more than once did she make her feelings clear to Averii on things such as ''bloodsplattered ceilings, or how she felt about Mit playing with an armed grenade, and especially to Lek on just about whatever exited his mouth. The thing was, though, she covered one of the few things that none of them was actually equipped to handle - and that was generally everything having to do with computers and hacking. Averii made it a point to cover her at all times - on and off the field. Meanwhile, Averii would generally laugh, take it in stride, and keep at it - it being anything from reading to a heated hand-to-hand brawl. He kept himself light on his feet, and in his head, so to speak - keeping it clear so that he could focus on not leading the squad into their deaths. To this end, he always kept an eye out on the team. Every fight was a good fight, in the end. Even when it was a loss, a fight was always a good story over a meal, a drink, or a game - even a fire, when they had one going. As they continued their signature organized chaos, their success rate rose; and as a result, people took notice, and promotions began to trickle down as more and more aboard the Vengeance recognized them, complimenting them for a job well done. Hell, Ave eventually even found himself with Entra, playing cards with Captain Talbolt over dinner and a war story! Ave also began to notice he found himself with Entra a lot as of late. On the field, of course, but off of it, through the mess hall, barracks, and everywhere in between. She seemed to notice it before him, and eventually they began to share simple awkward stares and laughs as the ship sometimes became a bit suffocating. Entra was his friend, that he was sure of; though he couldn't help but feel something more. Four years later, they found themselves shuffled off of the Vengeance. Freed for a short time, the Firestarters quickly decided on a new posting, preferring something a bit quieter, as well as more suited to their ranks. Years Five to Six - Labs and Drabs Posted aboard a Research Vessel, the squad was assigned as the chief security detail. Forming a command squad, of a sort, Averii was the overall head of security aboard the ship, in no small part due to his new First Lieutenant's bars, earned just before he transferred off of the Vengeance. Given authority over all areas of security aboard the ship, Averii typically had the final word, just short of the ship's Captain; typically, this meant anything from rations requests to risk assessments went through him, meaning plenty of paperwork, to his rather minor displeasure. Below him, the rest of his team handled their own branch, with Lek heading (flirting with) any away teams, Mit being in charge of shipboard security (being the researchers' personal bodyguard andguinea pig), and with Entra handling anything and everything related to cybersecurity (finding lost passwords, more or less). Honestly? While Entra might've enjoyed it, they all grew bored in the end. In terms of threats, the worst that usually cropped up was the odd pirate, or a loose experiment - and they were painfully uncommon. More often than not, they were cooped up inside their ship for weeks, even months at a time - and when they finally stumbled on an interesting planet or landed to run some tests, it was only ever for a few days. Lek was the first of them to grow antsy over it, being the chief officer on any given Away Team - and then the rest of them joined, with open space becoming a prized commodity due to onboard simulators being reserved for science. In terms of the onboard tests themselves, they were typically classified and locked so tight that Averii himself never really knew what was going on - and outside of a few useful experiments and prototypes, he never got to play with anything new. Mit himself grew sick of science in general, finding himself quite commonly as the unlucky sod the scientists roped into testing some unstable compound, the odd vehicle joyride notwithstanding. Averii himself was the first to truly become bored. In short, he'd gone from hacking apart the enemy in a heated burst of adrenaline, to hacking apart paperwork in a dull spark of irritation. He'd imagined journeying across the uncharted expanses, meeting interesting species and peoples - and then exterminating them - as he was confronted with drama after drama; something a bit more interesting ''than paperwork for a week, then a small disaster followed by more paperwork. It didn't help that the crew - mostly scientists - were a bit ''less than welcoming to their Chief of Security. To his surprise, Averii noticed that Entra, too, became not just bored - but sick, having burned through all the information she could before hitting classified documents, what with all the spare time they had. The ship was small, packed with identical hallways, sterile spaces, and some outright unfriendly people; in the end, it was no wonder they got sick of it. So, when weeks stretched to months, when Averii caught on to Entra's obsession with hobby-hunting, pranks, and breaking their own firewalls, it wasn't much surprise. Then, with a smirk, he joined her in the fun. It was something to do, and no real harm was done; he'd make sure of it. Both bored out of their minds, they gravitated to one another as they tried to spend the next two years sanely. From sparring to arguing, competing, and even just walking and talking in general, they found themselves at the other's side more often than not once again (and at Lek's throat, when he began to play with rumors). When their term aboard finally ended, it was like being released from chains - and restless, they did their damned best to get picked for some real action. But, as they say, be careful what you wish for. Years Seven to Eight - Blood and Mud One of the Irken Empire's most fierce, stubborn, and downright hated enemies, the Meekrob were a race of energy-beings, capable of changing form with ease, blending into surroundings almost seamlessly, and incredibly ''difficult to kill. Persevering even today, the Meekrob are no standard foe; thousands have lost their lives against them. So, when the Firestarters were assigned to the [[12th Karkians|''12th Karkians]] under one Major Strakke, it should be little surprise to learn it was one of the most intensive assignments Squad 223 ever had. A valuable world, a potential key to the efforts of the Empire and the Meekrob, they fought over Sigis Major; ''host to valuable reserves of various resources (namely fuel and food), it was also an ideal location for a stronghold for the Irkens, potentially crucial for any future offensive efforts - and it was already host to the remains of an abandoned series of Irken and Vortian shipyards, both in orbit and on the ground; the main prize of the Empire, and a goldmine for the Meekrob's intelligence efforts. As such, with these facilities in the balance, an orbital bombardment to stamp out the opposing force was out of the question; and located within a densely populated system, and orbited by multiple moons, it was no easy task to win the skies. Thus, the fight for Sigis, and by extension, the system of ''Mund IV, was a long and hard one, fought in everything from closed halls, to open trenches, and vast asteroid belts. Seeing action in every single one of these places, Averii and his Firestarters underwent a true trial by fire. Struggling day after day to survive against both the enemy, their allies, and their own allies, in the trenches of Sigis, death awaited every turn. The Meekrob were already difficult to point out in standard conditions - throw them into a ruined, derelict corridor full of debris, and it was just about impossible to spot them without the right gear. They showed little mercy to the unaware and the unobservant, and sometimes, they didn't even leave a body. Under pressure, a team either held fast, becoming a solid chunk of steel in the battering ram that was the Imperial Armada, or they fell apart like tissue paper under a thousand gallon torrent of water. The Meekrob themselves, although relatively few in number on Sigis itself, were difficult to kill, and quick to vanish after taking their victims, driving many a unit mad with paranoia. What you thought was a boot would wait until you turned your back, and morph itself into a gaping maw, ready to shred you to pieces - or, if they were feeling nice, they'd merely fry you alive with a jolt of electricity powerful enough to boil your skin. Where the Meekrob failed, however, their own auxiliaries took up the slack. A wide caste of races, some mercenaries, others rebels, and with even the odd pirate groups or defectors, the auxiliaries might've been diverse in appearance and ideals - but they were all just as vicious as the next. Nothing was quite like a Planet Jacker shrugging off gunfire as he charged through your lines, or like a Vortian, peeling apart your systems from afar - and turning them on you with a sneer. It was worse with the pirates, picking the battlefield like scavengers and always taunting and scheming away, stooping as low as to even feel out your ranks to find anyone willing to make a quick buck, or a clean getaway. The 12th served across every front, and, like most other units, was subject to each and every single thing that could happen to them in combat as anyone and everyone against the Empire somehow made their way across Sigis. From the blood in the mud, to the airless moons, the Firestarters found themselves stuck in with all kinds of scraps, shootouts, gunfights, skirmishes, and battles. They did all they could to win. In the end, though, they had to to all they could to survive. As it was, the Empire had hit a wall. The Armada overhead fought daily against constant lurking vessels, making hit-and-runs on the fringes, and hitting them where it hurt before they retreated beyond an obscure moon, or luring them into an ambush within an asteroid belt. Ships were being lost almost faster than they could be replaced, and forced to focus both planetside and starside, the fleet was weakened, it's attention split - and exploited. Sufficient to say, that led to things quite ugly both in space, and on the ground. A unit primarily oriented in infantry-based combat and recovery operations, the 12th Karkians usually found themselves on the front, and what used to be the front, clearing the way for heavier mechanized units, sweeping through installations, or, when they were being pushed back, breaking them down and recovering what they could. More often than not, they found themselves on guard duty as they worked to retrieve fallen tanks and mechs, or vulnerable computer data. Whether it was below the muddy surface of Sigis, or in the debris-filled orbitals above, or even outside in the cold, hard vacuum, the 12th was pushed and shuffled around from deployment to deployment. The Firestarters themselves saw every one of those fields, assigned to replace a good chunk of the 12th's command. Functioning still as a unit in combat, each member of 223 was charged with advising and managing certain aspects of the 12th, from marksmen to cyberops, and overall operation command. Consistently, they were pushed to the limit, with close calls left-and-right leaving them on edge, and with every firefight leaving someone with an injury - and everyone at eachothers throats. The Meekrob planted paranoia and distrust, undermining Lek's traditional reliability, and seeding doubt within their ranks as even Mit and Averii's rather extreme exterminations failed to catch their enemy, with the meatiest of the enemy's mercenaries breaking their lines, and Entra's protocols truly being put to the test against their foes. Constantly shown up and caught off-guard, Lek grew unstable. Cracking and threatening to lash out, he eventually began taking potshots at things he even slightly thought were shapeshifters; even, at some points, raising his rifle against his comrades; the closest thing he had to a family. Averii himself even learned that at some point, he planned to desert - take a ship and fly it away, never looking back - something that Lek had trouble admitting when Ave confronted him over it, years later. It certainly didn't help when it was a rumor, spreading around the snipers that Lek was supposed to be in charge of, or around the demomen that Mit himself took command over. Mit, normally calm and collected, quickly grew frustrated. Although something of a genius with explosives, the Meekrob were just as swift and observant as they were stealthy, and time and time again, what traps he rigged would fail to be more than a little fireworks show - or, even worse, be thrown right back at him. While he was still damned good at smashing structures and vehicles, the lack of any actual kills in combat began to gnaw at him. So, to compensate, he began to pack more explosives. And more. And more. And more. Driven a bit mad by the Meekrob toying with him, he was determined to blow them to smithereens - and, if need be, take himself with them. Obviously, this tactic didn't sit too well with the rest of the squad, or his men. Entra, already anxious in combat, was quickly almost overwhelmed with stress. Dropped from the relatively lax lifestyle she had in the last two years, the first fight she found herself in was like a punch to the face - with many more to come, as they went from the caves of asteroids, to the barren remains of Irken colonies as they fought tooth and nail to keep the enemy at bay; even within their own computers. As the Meekrob did their best to harvest data, Entra was charged with advising and overseeing the security and general well-being of the unit's equipment and cybernet. Under this pressure, she began to break down, and tear herself apart from the inside as she began to take the blame for even mundane mishaps and failures, taking it upon herself; something that became increasingly irrational as time went on, slowly wearing through what trust and patience that their subordinates had with her. Thus, with a jittery, half-snapped marksman, a suicidal bomberman, and a hacker slathering herself in anguish, Averii, too, cracked. A fight, he could handle; his squad, that, too; but together, for days, weeks, months at a time, even, he himself began to slip; especially as an Officer, having responsibilities beyond his team, reporting almost directly to their Major, and responsible for a fair amount more down the line. With the discord rooting itself within not just his own team, but his subordinates, as he was charged with the responsibilities of entire operations by Strakke. Growing unhinged, he became a sort of animal in combat, as frustrated as Mit, unstable as Lek, and as tormented as Entra. Eventually, he either threw himself into combat, or got so wrapped up in trying to give orders that almost nothing really got done, cancelling everything out, and frustrating his men. In short, where 223 had once been adept and skilled at organized chaos, the Firestarters had devolved into simple, almost orderless chaos. That's not to say that they were inept; far from it, as when they worked, they worked damn well. However, it didn't help that Strakke himself wasn't a particularly experienced (or lenient) commander to start with. The 12th as a whole was mostly composed of replacements, in fact; most of the original unit that had been deployed had been either killed, deserted, or simply gone missing; including the majority of their command unit. Strakke was a major purely by emergency field promotion; and although he did what he could, faced with the near complete destruction of his unit and with the mounting pressure and disappointment of High Command, he grew strict and hardline in his tendencies. Forced to use a myriad of threats to keep people in line, he began instating all sorts of punishments - including shock-flogs, bringing Averii back to the darkest days of his smeethood. Averii, in his stress, began to unravel further, with fears he'd thought banished as a child returning, leading to hesitation and failure. The Firestarters hadn't even thought it was him when he gave his first real retreat order in years. However, when that retreat order got them caught in a friendly artillery barrage, Averii's world seemed to at once shatter as heavy shells and burning plasma rained around them. Angry screams and shouts filled what was left of their comms as they all argued at eachother, too busy running to focus, trying to reach the safety of the nearest trench. They'd almost made it, too, when Entra just about ran into a hundred-pound shell, sending her flying with the hot shrapnel. Everything seemed to freeze for him as she flew through the air, her mouth crying out in a half-insult, half-scream as her blood splashed through the air, and her eyes filled with terror. To this day, Averii can remember that terror. The rest of the unit had run for the trenches, with Lek and Mit shouting the troops into the holes as explosions pounded left and right. However, Ave could only stand in horror as the same terror within Entra gripped him by his very core, the shells slamming around him as she landed in the mud, unmoving. Then, he ran. Not for cover, but for Entra. For her broken body, almost certainly dead, he ran. Carrying her back into the trenches, Lek and Mit screamed at him, livid, hysterical - they'd just retreated through an artillery barrage, of all things, nearly gotten them blown to hell! Unable and unwilling to waste time, all Averii could do was answer them with a solid fist to the face, smashing them aside as he ran for the nearest med-station, slinging her body across his back, and he ran. Threats be damned. Run he did, for miles and miles, until his legs finally gave out, having delivered her to an operating table, stuck somewhere on the fringe of life and death. Giving in to his childhood fears and his primal senses, Averii couldn't forgive himself for allowing such a fatal mistake to happen in the first place. For all the fights they'd gone through, all the times he'd backed her up (and she backed him), all the arguments, debates, and conversations they had, the thing that had come closest to taking Entra from him - to ending her life'' -'' was his own damned fault. One can only guess how things would've turned out for him had Entra not survived his terror-driven field surgery. After all, love can drive a man mad. Worry-stricken and guilt-ridden, Averii guarded her viciously until she regained consciousness. With apologies pouring like a waterfall, Averii declared his feelings for her (despite his own unfamiliarity with them). To honest surprise (and not to mention relief), despite a bit of hesitance, Entra forgave him - and returned his love in kind. Thus began their first true steps into a forgotten, relatively alien realm to Irkens; one seen as senseless, mindless, even grounds for defectiveness, in these modern times; their first honest experience with what humans called 'love'. Finally catching up to them, Mit and Lek stumbled in, half dead themselves, worn ragged, having to lead the rest of the troops on their own, and having hiked back to track them down; luckily, though, the had won. Not that Averii really cared, moving to deck them again until the combined shouts from Lek, Mit, and Entra yanked him back down to reality. Sobered, they began to sort themselves out, and Averii ordered them to take it easy while he reported in to Strakke. He had technically deserted the front, of course. It'd take a bit more effort to make it through one of Strakke's lectures thasn usual - if he was lucky. With that, the Firestarters began to make a return to their old selves again, resuming their classic line of organized chaos - and then some, as Averii took full responsibility for his actions, taking his punishment in front of the troops; what he intended to be the last one for all of them. Winning the respect of their men back, as their first year deployed to Sigis drew to a close, the name Firestarter began to cover more than just the four of them as they worked to connect to the troops. As the new year loomed, they came out swinging - and didn't stop until they'd finally left the system, having gone for a complete reform of how things were done. It took time, and there were more losses - but in the end, Strakke decided to work with them, and the 12th became a well-oiled fighting machine, maintaining the standards established by the Firestarters under the command of now-Colonel Strakke. Unfortunately, the Empire didn't win Sigis Major. The Meekrob had begun a torch-and-burn operation, taking the data they could and destroying facilities as they began to retreat, ultimately reducing the whole system of Mund IV to roughly 50% of it's former efficiency, and leaving a whole host of pirates infesting the belts - until ultimately, in an act that still burns in the hearts and minds of Irken to this day, they destroyed the entire planet in an explosive blast. Luckily, though, the 12th and the Firestarters were off-world by the time it went up, having been finally rotated out. Years Nine to Ten - Sidelines Although the 12th had been on a'' major'' rebound in the past year, with the Firestarters proving to have a niche for deep-striking offense, due to their high casualty rate the entire unit was reassigned. Boarding outbound transports for the homeworld, the Karkians were put on what was essentially an upgraded police role, serving out of an orbiting garrison. Replenishing their numbers with fresh, wide-eyed recruits coming out of the Academy, the survivors of the Sigis campaign welcomed the relative peace - even Strakke admitted that it was a much-needed break, and universally the veterans counted their lucky stars when they heard of the destruction of Sigis only weeks later. Handling everything from port security to police raids, as some of the most experienced command-capable staff aboard, 223 became what was essentially Strakke's go-to advisors. Especially so, in light of the 'outsiders' and 'fresh meat' coming into the unit, after the hell of Mund IV. Even with new Commanders, Captains, and Majors, Averii found himself speaking with Strakke often; something he always found a bit funny, considering his earlier slip-ups. What was no laughing matter, however, was Averii's private affairs. Freed from the pressures and torment of Sigis, the constriction and moment-to-moment fears that had once plagued him had dissipated - and in their place sat anxiousness and self-doubt as he dealt with Entra, all because of one little word - one that he barely knew the meaning of! Maybe love was hell! He'd been worried out of his mind, guilt-ridden, unsure if she'd live or die - what if it was just heat-of-the-moment, some adrenaline-charged thing that only a fight could keep together? Was it a mistake? What would Strakke do to him? What would his friends ''do if they found out he was indulging himself in such selfish things, and with ''Entra of all people!? Love was a particularly touchy forbidden fruit, after all! No matter what Lek said, it was always just joking around; they all knew that they'd be violating some obscure law, somehow, and that it'd never be worth it! Why risk it? What is '''it?' Was ''it even legitimate? Did '''she' even really care?'' It didn't help that Entra seemed to be a phantom, there one moment and gone the next. As his doubt came to a head, Averii found himself distancing himself from everyone, trying to make sense of things, and it came to a head when the very root of his thoughts confronted him. Evasive, nervous, and jumpy, Entra had caught him and countered him with focus, calm, and firmness, their meeting growing into an argument of sorts, with concern breaking into conflict. Between the two of them, their grievances came a few simple questions. "Is what I feel '''real?"' Through their zealous concern, it certainly ''felt real - adrenaline might've been part of how it started, sure, but adrenaline didn't drive them to hide - or seek eachother out. Within each of them was a fire. One at once bright, hot, and protective; fiercely independent, yet intertwined. With Lek, Averii was content to let him go off on his own, and suffer the (lighter) consequences of his yapping mouth. Yet with Entra, he was always ready to jump in - even at minor provocations. With Mit, Ave seemed generally fine with leaving him to his devices - yet with Entra, he'd do his best to keep close. With everything else, Averii took it in stride - until she was involved. With Entra, Ave, in general, worried a helluva lot more -'' not that she couldn't handle herself, but he ''couldn't bear to let anything happen to her on his watch. Especially after Sigis. "...What do I '''really' feel?"'' Words followed by their first kiss; a confirmation of their feelings. In a word, it was passion; and at the same time, com''passion. Fiercely protective of Entra, she herself had grown to simply ''know Ave - to not just understand him, but to feel ''him, to soak herself in empathy. They didn't just stop at ''knowing eachother, either - they were damned ready to give their lives for eachother. Just a few components of love. "...Is it wrong?" As far as they were concerned, it didn't matter. At least, as long as no one found out. Couldn't be too careful, after all. Words only reinforced as Lek and Mit's jaws could almost be heard dropping. Despite some rockiness in smoothing out any issues Lek and Mit had (or would've made), Averii's personal affairs were soon straightened out - and were better than ever, in fact. The rest of the Firestarters' time with the 12th Karkians was relatively peaceful and uneventful, and they finished their tour of duty with ease, being given temporary housing until they got themselves a job, or were redeployed. As Captain Talbolt of the Vengeance pulled into their lives once more, docking with their port, they quickly found themselves being thrown back into the fray, attached as command staff aboard the mighty Viral Tank. Page in progress of revision! Return to Duty Not long after the decade of service ended, they signed on once more, requesting their old ship, and their old ship they did receive indeed. Welcomed personally by the Captain as they reentered service, Squad 223 was redesignated VT-0451-0223 and immediately they were thrown into action. Their first months back on-board saw them under the command of an Irken Adjucator in pursuit of corruption; specifically, Adjucator Skabb. Relentlessly commanding the ship as they seeked and hunted down ends, at the personal command of the Captain and Adjucator, the service culminated in the revelation of a web of conspirators aiding some of the Empire's worst enemies... a certain Specialist named Lurch among them, whom Averii and Entra dealt with personally as they confronted the traitor alone. Following the completion of the Adjucator's mission, the ship returned to its AI-Assigned postings. While there were also some battles the ship participated in during the Irken-Vortian Schism following the death of Tallest Miyuki, the Viral Tank spent most of its time with its sister ship, VT-0439, either patrolling the contested borders of Irk and Vort, waiting for the worst, or assisting in the odd revolt or skirmish, and over the next nine years Averii would reach Lieutenant-Commander. As his service aboard the ship neared its end, however, and as he neared his promotion to Commander, VT-0451 and its sister ship were ambushed by a small pirate fleet just outside of the nearest friendly system. VT-0439 would be destroyed, crew missing or dead along with its command crew, and the Vengeance would be boarded violently. The majority of its own crew was incapacitated quickly, including the command staff and the Captain himself, and in the panic Averii would become the commanding officer. Following his appointment, the crew held out long enough for reinforcements to arrive, but not at insignificant cost. Many crewmen died trying to hold the line, with Averii's 'No-Surrender' mentality driving them to fight to the very last breath; however, scores of pirates died in turn, with service drones and hardened soldiers alike fighting side-by-side. Despite the cost in casualties alone, however, Averii paid a very personal price. Following the battle, only two of his squad returned; Lek and Mit, in bodybags, their PAKs intact (and later in his possession) but their bodies broken beyond repair. The body of Technician Entra was not found. In fact, it was because she was carried off-ship, only meters away from him as boarding parties retreated with her unconscious or dead body in tow. With the only traces being some small bloodstains and a discarded handgun as reinforcements gave chase, Ave could only worry, and immediately this proved to be something that would come to haunt and drive him for years. Soon after, with no recovery of the one closest to him and no trace of her, Ave took to finding his own answer to the question; Where had Entra been taken, and was she still alive? Elite Service and Impending Doom I Averii, in the bloody aftermath of the battle that had taken almost every friend and person he trusted his life with, took to venting himself on the surviving pirates that had been taken prisoner. This commonly resulted in rather fatal interrogations, and respectable amounts of intelligence as well. However, with command unsatisfied with the amount of bodies he was creating, he was pulled out of duty and would be forced to wait on the sidelines. Enraged, he could only obey. After all, he was a Soldier. Returning to Irk, he found civilian life agonizingly placent, however, as his blood boiled for vengeance he could not deliver. Thus, he turned his sights on something higher, and a plan was born. As soon as Irken Elite Testing opened, he journeyed to Devastis at the earliest opportunity, seeing a key to his answers and the frontlines within his grasp. After all, they were the Best of the Best, the Elites. He passed with ease, and was reinducted into service immediately, demanding assignment to counterpiracy duties; particularly, infiltration, which he worked in often despite occasional postings in other assignments. Here he learned or strengthened skills he would need as an Invader, and he flexed them with each calculated victory. Pirate Bands disintegrated, hidden bases imploded, legions of prisoners taken from small base worlds, even small Fleets ambushed by their own or led into Empire-Set traps; practically already an Invader, given the things he'd done. Such was his success rate that he was selected as an Invader candidate and sent through the trials - trials that he performed rather admirably in, earning him his place as an Invader. During one of his final tests with equipment, however, he discovered an extremist attempting to martyr themselves for a relatively unknown cause; an incident that occurred during an intelligence gathering test with a SIR unit. The SIR, coded SIR-1201-A, immediately notified him of the explosive compounds detected on the individual. Immediately raising the alarm as the extremist fled, 1201-A (known today as the unrecognizably-modified SIR, BLU, or Battlefield Longevity Underminer) and he set off immediately. After a quick pursuit as Averii and the machine raced after them, the martyr soon found themselves cleaved in two, with his combat skills still razor sharp. Unfortunately for him, his shock-spear detonated the explosives they were wearing anyways, heavily wounding him. It had even made him legally dead for a short time as his PAK tried to revive him, also somewhat scarred by the explosion. Nonetheless, the SIR, obeying its programming directives, stuck by his side as it alerted emergency response units. Despite failure to return his heartbeat for a worrying amount of time, however, it was successful, yet the injuries were so extensive he was to be placed in a healing coma, forcing him to miss Operation Impending Doom... Fortunately, as it would turn out. Mark One.]] Impending Doom's Aftermath Upon reawakening a few short weeks after Invader Zim's misguided rampage, he was placed into standby by the Control Brains as repair efforts and mourning filled the Empire. Despite his strong internal disagreement with their decision, he was completely unable to vocally challenge them. Averii resigned to his non-combat fate reluctantly and decided to put the time to good use, despite initial resentment, and the SIR unit followed. Firstly, he needed a residence, however, sick of living out of his ship for the last few decades. In the chaos following the failed operation, unfortunately, few residences were available, and those that were would cost him quite a bit, even with his savings and pay. Fortunately, Talbolt, owner of a bar once more, got in contact with Averii and offered to let him stay at his place, given a small monthly rent was paid, and Averii quickly agreed with his former commanding officer, moving in quickly. As he waited for a call to duty, he studied various subjects under Talbolt he formerly had little use for, such as Engineering and Literature; the former of which leading to his tinkering with the SIR and their transformation into BLU, as to enhance their combat capabilities. Despite occasional calls to hold minor raids, assist in various efforts, and appear at events, life became somewhat complacent and peaceful, and he often helped at Talbolt's bar. Well, as complacent and peaceful as one can get in the aftermath of a planet-wide disaster. Some would even say he mellowed in his off-duty time. As Impending Doom Two began to form, however, the Control Brains reassigned him as 'Senior Invader-Class' to oversee the next Invaders; an assignment he took to with great enthusiasm, something that he'd lacked for a long time. As the last living Invader from Impending Doom I (who still had technically died), his expertise was in demand by the brains, and he had happily obliged. Sometimes, however, on duty, he'd take rather strange, cryptic or unprofessional notes such as 'Tallest, Spleen's head is huge', and during this time it is notable that he spent hours in the workshop with BLU making unauthorized use of the tools to upgrade him. Due to his rank, however (and in no small part the increasingly armed android), few questioned him and none challenged him over it, aside from a few overly inquisitive Service Drones. Upon completion of the next generation of Invader's trials, Averii waited on Irk for the call to Impending Doom II. This time it was to be hosted on Conventia for various reasons, such as the fact that a good amount of Irk still required repair. That, and as a safeguard in case of another unforeseen disaster that would sweep the world. Impending Doom II and Beyond Upon that call, he had acquired his best clothing, put on a mask of seriousness and professionalism, and was the last to set off from the compound where he'd lived while putting the new generation through their phases. However, due mostly in part to a quarantine breach in the lab section, he was first held for a few hours. Then, with massive amounts of space-traffic, and a faulty fuel gauge on his ship acting up, the day would take a personal turn for the worse. Arriving extremely late, with the assigning over and almost all the equipment distributed, Ave would find his world taken and given to Invader Yuli. He'd also find the Tallest severely displeased with him, and despite his pleads, they decided that a punishment was in order for the offense. Thus, his position as a Senior Invader, coupled with his height, was one of the few things that saved him from a fate of airlocks and/or Janitorial Squads. Instead of sucking vacuum (or filth with a vacuum), he was assigned to Hobo 13 with a heavy heart, and currently labors daily while he waits for anything he can take to get off-world, forced to assist in the daily military trainings... At least initially, as it was a task he was rather good at, despite a lack of initial enthusiasm. As it stands at present, Averii is currently a qualified Sergeant in the eyes of the Militaristic Hobo race, and takes a bit of pride in his work. Appearance and Equipment of Note Physical Appearance At 5'4" (Or 1.6256 Meters, depending on your preference), Averii is of somewhat respectable height, though he comes a bit short compared to some. Despite his blue eyes (a rarity among Irkens) and somewhat larger antennae, he's actually rather average, if on the fitter end of the spectrum. However, he does have a variety of scars left on him from his days in the military, and his shock-flog scars still follow him from his days as an Academy Cadet. Notably, the spots on his PAK were formerly red, but he painted them blue in the twilight between Impending Doom I and II. This can be used as an easy indicator as to what portion of his life he was in when reviewing images or videos that feature him. Clothing With almost no exception, Averii wears a black softsuit/skinsuit beneath his clothes, as most Irkens do. Rather simple, it is printed with a barcode and his serial number on the chest, and keeps him from getting too cold or too warm, most of the time. Notably, this allows him to endure short times in a vacuum when coupled with gloves, boots, and the 'bubble helmet', unless punctured, but it is no stand-in for a vacuum rated hardsuit. Over this, he typically decides to wear a simple open-collared jacket with gloves, boots, and a combat belt with 'tactical leg protection' (Averii's name for the skirt-like garment he almost always wears). In addition, he often wears some light padding on his legs. Notably, he has a full set of jackets, all rather similar; a gift from his former Captain. On some occasions, Averii has been known to forgo his jackets, however, in favor of a sleeveless red uniform, despite his intense ''dislike of it. When wearing them, he's typically just in his jumpsuit, boots, gloves, and the striped red top. Notably, he has a couple sets of these uniforms as well, one with the traditional pinkish highlights, and the other with a deeper shade of red. In most situations where combat is likely (such as his assignment on Hobo 13), Averii will don one of his multiple sets of armor. Among his options is his aging set of T52 armor, from his NCO years, a set of Officer's armor, and his favorite set among them, the '''Cyclops;' the armor he used as an Elite. Cyclops During his service in the Irken Elite, Averii gained access to premium equipment and materials, otherwise unavailable to him, and quickly he got to work crafting this unique set. Forged from an expensive blend of high-grade alloys, the Cyclops was extremely light and durable. Worn over a black uniform, it allowed Averii to blend in with the shadows easily, and let him move quickly, even after a solid hit. It was also packed with various tools, expanding Averii's options like never before. He painted some parts of it with three blue stripes in honor of his fallen squad. Instead of goggles or a standard headset, however, Averii notably wore a single-eyed helmet. Bearing a heavy resemblance to those worn by Irken Announcers, the top section was able to split into two halves, assisting with storage, and could even be worn the same way said announcers wore their own. Designed to almost completely seal Averii in from the exterior environment, the helmet provided communications, tactical feeds, and much more in addition to being an imposing piece of armor. Stamped on the left half of the helmet's forehead is the Irken Elite's insignia, and on the right half is a single blue stripe, specifically in memory of Entra. Notably, it was capable of at least partial deployment from his PAK. During the services used this set in, Averii would build a reputation under the nickname of 'Cyclops', its origin in an insult directed at Averii. Despite his actions not being that well known throughout the Empire, the name grew in the minds of those who resisted it as Averii infiltrated everything from storage sheds to hidden asteroid bases, and even a few capital ships. The name would stick with the armor set, as Averii found even himself calling it the Cyclops. Weapons and other gear While proficient with many weapons, Averii personally prefers to utilize rifle-like weapons, such as the Type 223 Lacerator, as well as the Shock-Spear and Stun-Claws. While there are better shots with rifles, there are few ''with the focus and speed he has with the firearms, especially so with distance weaponry. When it comes to melee combat, his proficiency with the shock-spear is '''unmatched '''as far as he knows, and he's not too bad with the wrist-mounted blades of the aptly-named Stun-Claws either. In fact, his favorite weapon is the shock-spear. Notably, he has a habit of nicknaming his favorite equipment, such as his vessel, '''Rex,' or his personal rifle and spear, Orbitbreaker and Voidsplitter. Orbitbreaker | T223CR First issued to him about 70 years ago, Averii has carefully maintained and upgraded his original Lacerator Carbine. Reliable, accurate, and deadly enough as it was, the Orbitbreaker, as he fondly called it, saw its first and arguably most notable upgrade during his fifth year of service. Courtesy of a few scientists experimenting with rarer materials and magnetic weaponry, the normally painfully slow ''firerate of the carbine was doubled, and rivaled that of the heavy variant of the weapon with a fraction of the weight. It saw various other upgrades come as well, such as an extended munitions tank, as well as some ''highly advanced targeting software, the latter of which allowing the rifle to automatically adjust the trajectory of any munitions fired as they leave the weapon, but the one that has served Averii most effectively has been the 'repeater' upgrade. In terms of its appearance, the Orbit ''was originally stock imperial red, with little to no custom decals or markings. However, upon Averii's induction into the Elites, Averii meticulously chipped away and repainted most of the weapon a pale grey, leaving only the scope the original red. Then, he carved, painted, and stamped a variety of things on, over the years; from the insignia of the Elites, to both his and Entra's names, and even a miniature mural in honor of her. Notably missing are skulls Averii used to have to indicate kills; similarly to his ship, it eventually became too much work keeping track, and so he cleared them away from the weapon. The Voidsplitter A masterful wielder of the shock-spear, Averii has trained with it for practically all his life. Preferring to wield his spear either two-handed or with a firearm, he has developed many techniques and tactics involving the spear, and has discovered just as many uses, both on and off the battlefield. Although seen as a nonlethal weapon, left better in the hands of a guard than an Elite, Ave was more than capable of making it one of the deadliest things on the field. During his service as an Elite, however, Averii increasingly found himself in situations where the standard Shock-Spear just wouldn't cut it, despite all its usefulness to him. However, to compensate, he commissioned this superior model with newfound Elite authority. Crafted from the finest of materials, and the strongest and most lightweight of alloys, the ''Voidsplitter, as Averii affectionately calls it, is certainly something. Able to discharge lightning-like bolts of electricity, bring forth a barrage of lasers, and fling balls of plasma at the enemy, the Voidsplitter is all it was before, and more. Able to chop, slice, stab, and crush just as well as anything else, it is a versatile and effective weapon, one far outstripping the original model Averii grew to love. A truly lethal feat of Irken Engineering. Lethality enhanced by the skill of the wielder. Notably, among the flaws of the Voidsplitter, aside from cost, are it's tendency to overheat, and to quickly run through available power, outpacing the recharge rate of the energy collector... As well as the sometimes inconvenient size of the blades, when collapsed and holstered. Miscellaneous * Jetboots (Upgrade to Elite-Issue boots) * PAK Flight Module (Upgrade to PAK thrusters) * Stim Module (Deploys Combat Stims at will) * Automated Medical Treatment Unit (PAK Module, accelerates healing at cost of higher calorie intake) * Elite Battle-Gauntlets ** Typical loadout of Averii: *** Built-in holoprojector *** Standard-Issue Welding Unit *** Combat-grade emergency laser (Twelve shots before the main powercell is drained) *** Computer Interface Spike (Similar to BLU's) *** Combat-grade Plasma Vent (Plasma Flamethrower) *** Miniaturized Anti-Armor Munitions (A rack of four minirockets) (Unreliable) *** Emergency Grapple Launcher *** Self Destruct! * Infiltrator's Toolkit (Items stored in the chest-compartment on the Elite armor) ** Includes compact explosive charges, various types of lockpick, and more. * Holos of Squad 223 (Picture capable of being projected three-dimensionally with proper equipment) ** Holos of Entra * Copy of Rarl Kove's guide to Nachos of the Galaxy, ''latest edition. Personality TL;DR - Averii's clever, opinionated, sarcastic, and fast - and he's also brutal, aggressive, and can be impulsive, and tends to act almost primal or feral in a fight. However, he does have a soft side, if he's somewhat abrasive. Averii has had more his share of twists and turns in his life; as such, his outlook has changed often. As a smeet, and a freshly-inducted cadet, Averii was imbued with a strong sense of duty, young and hopeful. He studied often, trained hard, like most other cadets. He was notably friendly to others as well, though he could get worked up. Essentially, he was hard-working, loyal, and naive - if he enjoyed combat a bit much. However, following his punishment at the hands of his Overseers, he immediately tried to retrain himself. Becoming somewhat abrasive and irrational, with a fierce dedication to victory, he pushed harder and studied harder, driven by the fear of humiliation and pain. He became semi-hostile to those who would potentially be a problem, and somewhat detached to those he was close to. Again, in a nutshell, Averii was then abrasive, irrational, hostile, and distant - with a greater hunger for fighting, and an even greater hunger for victory, performing acts of savagery, seen as primal or feral, but above all, brutal. Over time, however, as he matured and neared his graduation from the Academy, his irrational side began to subside as it was replaced by indifference and acceptance. Upon graduation, his sense of duty swelled as his PAK, newly-coded for full military service, instilled a sense of pride as he was shipped to his first assignment aboard the ''Vengeance. Little could quell the drive in him as he stepped aboard for the first time. As a fresh recruit in the military, Ave was cocky, indifferent, and more accepting, though he was still abrasive. On the battlefield, however, his indifference and acceptance almost completely died the first time he saw someone die outside of a simulation, and the seriousness he had in the academy returned as the overwhelming sense of pride faded. When someone potentially capable of taking an Irken life was still breathing on the battlefield, he accepted no nonsense until they stopped breathing. When it came to his squad and off-duty, however, he was much more tolerant. Over time, his attitude loosened up, though. To his friends, Ave was caring, confident, and sometimes joking. When on the job and lives were at stake, however, he'd become dead serious, and, to some, a real buzzkill. Come the loss of them, however, and immediately he grew completely hostile and serious, the world that he'd had torn from him in a violent battle. He showed no mercy to prisoners, and was subsequently removed from active duty due to his behavior. It was a rather futile action, as he just became an Elite anyway to get around. For most of his career as an Elite, it was a resentful seriousness that became the face of him, but over time it subsided, replaced by a tired acceptance, occasionally highlighted by small outbursts of various things. Notably, he became exceptionally brutal and efficient, and his thirst for battle became more subtle - he also developed a hunger for adrenaline rushes, taking more risks and seeking thrills to satiate it. The Invader Trials saw him see an opportunity to finally move on, however, and he finally grew excited again. That is, until a fateful test with his SIR saw an outside force blow up in his face, literally. Quietly surviving the rampage of Zim, he initially grew resentful towards many things as he tried to initially cope, refusing to interact even with his still-present trial SIR. However, his resentment faded after a time. As things went on as he was finding new, quiet passions in engineering and literature, his acceptance began to return, and his seriousness faded as he grew familiar with the day-to-day routine. He grew fond of Literature in his spare time, and studied it as a past-time. His thirst for battle and adrenaline faded a bit... But not too much. With the call to duty as an overseer during the second Invader trials, he returned to work serious, enthusiastic, ready, and confident. With his call to Impending Doom II, he anticipated great things; worlds falling beneath him, prosperity restored to an Empire that had suffered many a disaster, and a drive satisfied. His war-hunger and adrenaline thirst had returned in full, and he itched to return to the field and revel in bloodshed again. Unfortunately, he missed the opportunity to get his world, and with a heart heavy with disappointment he was assigned to Hobo 13 as an assistant. Despite his initial disappointment, however, he does this job rather well, and manages to keep his skills sharp as he awaits his call from the Tallest. Among the (sometimes conflicting) words that one may use to describe him are: * Abrasive * Adrenaline-hunting * Aggressive * Athletic * Bloodthirsty * Brutal * Clever * Cocky * (Semi-)Compassionate * Competent * Confident * Dependable * Efficient * Enduring * Fast * Feral * Frustrated * Hardworking * Impulsive * Intelligent * Irrational * Literate * Mature * Opinionated * Primal * Sarcastic * Savage * Sensible * Thrill-seeking * Unlucky Notable Relationships The Almighty Tallest (Current) Despite the fact he's literally hard-coded to obey their every word and follow them to death, Averii strangely as of late seems to be somewhat irritated with the Tallest, and has even expressed disgust at some of their behaviors. However, he has done this in almost unnoticeable ways as to make sure he doesn't get shot for treason, thrown out the airlock, or fed to a hog-beast. Averii's actually never met them in person. Entra One of the few people Ave has truly opened up to, Entra and he were notably close friends after graduation despite a somewhat detached relationship while cadets, and later entered a more personal relationship prior to her disappearance about 50 years ago. Serving on the same squad, he's always had a soft spot for her. They often had light-hearted arguments and sometimes rather deep debates on occasion, and served together for almost two complete ten-year tours in the military, both on the same ship. As a result, they formed a very close bond throughout their years of service. Week after week, month after month, year after year, they had eachother's backs, with Entra's practically infallible skill with computers being shielded by Ave's combat skill and direction... in addition to her own squadmates' respective skills. She would pull them out of tight spots, and they'd keep her out of them with blood, sweat, and tears. Notably, he was very, very protective (abnormally so) of her prior to her disappearance, placing himself directly in harm's way much more often than he did with anyone else, which didn't help quell the rumors about the two blue-eyed Irkens that resulted from his initial soft spot for her. Eventually, those rumors would actually bear weight only a few years later, despite uncertainty and inexperience in the more-than-personal bond they developed. Due to the general Irken Attitude towards relationships of their nature, they kept it a mostly discreet thing to even Lek and Mit, initially. Even then, the two saw it as strange, unnatural. ''At least, initially. To this day, he is more than occasionally haunted by the unanswered question of her fate, and it has driven him for nearly his '''entire career' as an Irken Elite, then remained hanging above him as an Invader. Notably, Averii has one of her two favorite handguns in his possession, finding it after sweeping the Viral Tank in the hours after her disappearance. It is one of his most prized ''possessions. They also celebrated her Birthday every Standard Year (February 25th, on the Human Calendar); a tradition from when she was just a little smeet, attempting to survive the onslaught that her older classmates brought. As for his own birthday, he normally pays little attention to it, unless she insists on celebrating it. Battlefield Longevity Underminer The first time Averii had met SIR 1201-A, it was under a partially controlled Invader's trial in the weeks prior to the disastrous Impending Doom I. Immediately, the loyal and on-point nature of the SIR's default personality stuck to him during the trial, with each proving excellent at helping the other do their jobs quickly and efficiently. Averii would provide clear guidelines, instructions, purposes for information, anything the SIR needed, and the SIR provided everything Averii needed to know, and then some. Indirectly saving Averii's life by sending them after the Martyr, despite initial detachment Averii had after his reawakening from the Medical Coma, Averii began to appreciate the SIR more despite its technical shortcomings. Shortcomings he himself tweaked and overcame when he transferred the personality, or the 'mind' of the SIR and placed it in the BLU chassis, after some tweaking to give it at least an inkling of a sense of humor. Currently, BLU is his right-hand mechanical man, and usually refers to Averii as 'Commander' rather than 'Master'. However, Ave personally withholds information from BLU, such as the full nature of his relationship with Entra, at times seeming to irritate the former SIR unit. Notably, sometimes refers to BLU as 'Clanker'. Lek The first of the two that Averii had first bonded with in the Academy, Lek, Mit, and Averii served together all the way until his last breath... And then some, due to his consciousness surviving within his PAK. Despite his occasional questioning of Averii's logic, methods, and orders, he has been and still is a reliable and a trusted source of opinions, one that stood the test of time during their two decades of military service, as well as the odd occasion during his Elite days due to his PAK being in Ave's hands. His loss hit Averii hard. Not as bad as Entra's disappearance, but still. The loss of a best friend can be hard to cope with. It helps, however, when the friend's essentially just trapped in a metal backpack that contains all their memories and experiences. Ave keeps his PAK somewhere, sometimes accessing it for fresh perspectives on situations, and keeping it hidden to prevent the total loss of his best friend. He once considered replacing BLU's personality with Lek, but reconsidered after prolonged thought on the subject, worried at how he would respond to the metal body as well as how he'd be wasting the loyal companionship of the machine. Lek evidently does not agree at times, and has, to Ave's dismay, attempted more than once to take control of BLU's body from time to time. They've also grown a bit more distant, due to large differences such as being alive and being dead. Notably, he initially disapproved of Ave's relationship with Entra, or at least keeping it secret despite the fact that he provided much of Ave's relationship advice, for better or worse. However, he's reconsidered his standpoint. Mit The second and shortest of the two Averii bonded with in the Academy, Mit served with Lek and his taller blue-eyed friend until his own death at the hands of his explosives. He often had a strange, sometimes disturbing understanding and acceptance of things (especially explosives), and Ave constantly trusted him with anything that he felt could be solved with them. It's notable he said the occasional piece of random philosophy from time to time, and was often underestimated in combat. Mit's death was a harsh blow, but Ave knew had had at least gone down fighting, rather than Lek, who had been picked off in a lull. That one fact gave him something, at least. Until he discovered that the PAK was effectively Mit in a backpack, and decided to transfer him onto his ship. Despite initial panic and negative reactions to the fact he possessed a spaceship for a body, Mit appreciated the fact that he wasn't entirely confined to a metal backpack. That and the fact that he could shoot lasers. He and Ave spoke quite often, due to him effectively being the latter's ship. Notably, he was unsurprised by the revelation of Ave and Entra's more personal relationship, though he was still unhappy about how it was kept secret from he and Lek. Talbolt Averii's commanding officer during most of his military career prior to his status as an Elite, he was crippled during the ambush of the Viral Tank ''Vengeance, but still lives following a discharge from service. Averii looks up to him often, the two sharing a strange understanding and almost father-son relationship, and have regular chats. First taking a liking to Ave after a brief security action saw him take command of his then-confused and panicking team, the two shared common interests in firearms and certain academic fields, as well as a common love of nachos. As Ave rose through the ranks and departed after his initial four years in the military to another assignment, Talbolt had grown fond enough of the blue-eyed male that he even gave up some of his favorite jackets as a parting gift to the soldier, and made them promise to keep in contact, which he did. When Ave returned to the Vengeance after six years, he and his entire team were welcomed with open arms by the Captain, who was overjoyed to see the return of some of his best and brightest soldiers, and made it a habit to meet with them for an archaic game of cards, over which they would bet and share stories from their careers. Notably, he almost instantly recognized a strange relationship between he and Entra after they returned, and actually made a half-hearted prediction as to the existence of their relationship, which Averii unwittingly confirmed, to Entra's horror. However, after a lecture on the dangers and abnormality of such as relationship in Irken society, he gave them advise and wished them luck, leaving them bewildered and with a trusted friend. Also legal owner of Ave's current residence. Talbolt is the one man that Averii trusts the most in the many galaxies, not even trusting Lek and Mit as much. Lurch Averii's largest rival in the Academy and one of the pains he had during his military career, Lurch and he did not see eye-to-eye, in many cases literally. Averii despised his overconfidence, and Lurch despised his competence, and had felt that Averii didn't deserve his position. Serving on the Vengeance for five years in his first tour of duty as a Jump-Specialist, he went on to become an officer by the time he and Averii returned to the Viral Tank the next decade; something that Averii found himself disliking. A lot, in fact. Lurch later perished during the incident with Irken Adjucator Skabb. At least, to everyone's knowledge... A shock-spear jammed down one's throat tends to kill, most of the time. Especially with a followup which is a few kilograms of metal through the skull. Averii and Entra made sure to be quite thorough. Then again, perhaps not thorough enough. You can't be too sure. Mydra A partner Averii had for a few years during his Elite service, Mydra and Averii's relationship is a bit complicated. One of the rarer psionic Irkens, Mydra was a bit of an enigma to Averii. In their first few weeks, Ave was mostly content to just do his job, and to try and do his usual information-hunting act, but Myd caught his attention, no small thanks to her powers. Quietly, he observed her. So, when he proved to be a mystery to her, and she began to dig, he sighed, took his helmet off, and just told her outright to ask him, preferring their partnership to be face-to-face instead of cloak-and-dagger. What ensued was the best friendship Averii had been a part of in years, the closest he'd been to moving on in years, and the worst fallout he's ever had. In an act betraying their first deal, Mydra, sensing something hidden, decided to outright dig into his dreams instead of asking him face-to-face. Not that he was sure he could tell her about Entra, anyway. She tries to make it up to him rather often, but Ave would prefer just to forget it. Monkeys in General This one picture sums up his relationship with the monkeys of the universe. As one may gather, it is a negative, mind-tearing one of blood, fire, explosions, and general madness. Ave is not on good terms with monkeys, and they are not on good terms with Ave, whatsoever. It can all be traced to a certain deployment involving a research outpost, 'peace talks', valuable ores, and military operations gone awry followed by more 'peace talks', where Ave was dragged in and captured, somehow held prisoner by the low-tech tribes of Psi-Monkeys on a currently undisclosed world. There, he endured horrors he wishes not to speak about, involving the throwing of fruits and more, and finally got out after Entra battled passionately through the monkey legal system, of all things, for his release. Notably this is where Entra gained her love of Monkeys, and where Averii, initially disliking monkeys due to a freak smeethood incident involving a monkey toy, gained his burning hatred/fear of primates. Adjucator Skabb In a way, a sort of Imperial manhunter, Skabb's one of the few Irken Evaluation Force's Adjucators; legendary warriors who quietly root out conspiracy and occasionally massive threats, often caused by defectives. He took command of the Vengeance immediately after the start of Averii's second tour of duty, and the two shared a notable respect for each other throughout their service. Over the course of their service together, Averii grew to know more about Skabb than the average soldier (Which would be 'Scary old guy/What hunts defectives). On occasion, Skabb would offer a glimpse or two into his past, and in return Ave would grow to view the veteran not just as a commander and soldier, but as something of a uncle or grandfather type. The effect was not lost on Skabb, and despite his professional attitude he did grow at least somewhat fond of Ave, and regards him as one of his most notable comrades. Notably, he viewed the possibility of a relationship between Ave and Entra as a potentially damning problem, which had the latter on edge almost the entire time he was present. Ader the Krevtovian N/A, incomplete. Irken Elite Darrz A clingy superfan that sends horrible things in the form of fanmail, Averii finds himself constantly cringing in annoyance around them. And yet, he does, at times, have to accept and even congratulate the Elite that is Darrz. The first time Averii heard of Darrz, it was when his handler on Hobo 13, a grizzled Major, recoiled and fled in fear of their mere name. Ave soon learned why he should be afraid of them. Or more specifically, the tidal wave stupidity and the chaos that usually follows with it. As it stands, Averii does not exactly 'like' Darrz, yet is forced to accept his existence (and his tons of fanmail). Occasionally, Averii is sometimes surprised by Darrz showing a bit of competence or sense, and can bring himself to congratulate the soldier. This doesn't happen often, though. More often than not, Averii honestly wishes to punch him. In the face. Really, really hard. Notably, neither of them realize they exist in separate universes. Mario Not on the best of terms, Averii first met Mario when he was dumped on Hobo 13 by his father, Vok. Refusing to leave and refusing to participate on the grounds he wasn't supposed to be here (and he'll just be brought back anyway), a seed of aggravation was planted in Averii's mind by their defiance. Mario would refuse to fall in, and refuse to do anything, even threatening Averii's life when he attempted to do his job. While their relationship isn't exactly friendly, ''it isn't exactly hostile, either. At times, Averii does try to look out for or give advice to Mario, but they often misunderstand each other and end up arguing. Notably has something of a grudge against Averii because he shot him in the foot with a Lacerator. On purpose. And then a few times with a (simulated) laser pistol. And then the various other times Averii has somehow inflicted harm upon Mario... However, he knows more about Ave's past than most, due to ''certain[[Hatbot Noir| simulations...]] Notable Quotes What the section header says; these are some of the more notable quotes of Invader Averii. See Also: [[Literary Works by Averii of Irk|'Literary Works by Averii of Irk']] * "So, how was getting spaced, then?" - A final taunt Averii once used in the Academy. ** Notably, has stuck with Entra for decades, conjuring feelings of rage and embarrassment even with her damaged memories. * "I wonder who the sniper would shoot first; You, or me?" * "Allow me to retort!" - One of Averii's hostile responses to insults, punctuated commonly by action. * "Why ''would they cut out the ''rails?!" - Averii on the typical Irken Elevator. * "Hostile... Dehostilized." - Attempt to shake up the monotony of 'Hostile Neutralized' and it's variations. ** "That's not a word." - Lek. * "Does the word training mean anything?" - Ave on incompetence. * "Since when did stupidity become the standard?" * "Considering it's shooting '''at '''us' '''and 'anything 'green-skinned, yes, Mit, you get to blow up 'all' of it!" * ''"Cut it off! '''CUT IT OFF!"' - Ave on parasitic creatures. * "Can someone just shoot him already?" - Averii expressing impatience in regards to annoying and obstructive individuals. * "Oh yeah. ''I'm freakin' ending you." - One of many threats Ave has made to targets. * "For those of you too simple-minded','' 'dumbstruck', or slack-jawed ''to realize, this is Hobo Thirteen!" - Averii addressing a new group of cadets (HOBO 13 is HOBO 13). * "You have two hands. '''''TWO HANDS. Use them!" - Criticism on notably poor aim. * "HOW ''ARE YOU STILL ALIVE''?" - An outraged remark used on occasion; recently on Hobo 13. Often. * "Just 'DODGE!"' - Outraged remark used to criticize poor evasion skill. * "Just let me have my '''robot', damn it!" - After failed bargains with security (Trials and Errors). * "There is a point where I will have seen 'everything. This has gotten me a ''fair ''amount closer." * "Die '''screaming, if you want! No one's gonna hear it for long." - On railguns. * "Violence is definitely ensuing!" - Fancy way of saying things have become or are becoming violent. * "For all our intelligence, sometimes we, oh great-and-magnificent space-faring races, ''forget features like time telling."'' -'' Hatbot Noir,'' Sarcastically on advanced technology, but the lack of basic features. * "-'Got a bad feeling about this' is an understatement." - A Dark Apotheosis (Part One). * "...I can sorta live with that, actually." - To Vil telling him how they'd trade Jib for ship parts. Tanz von der Krabben. * "Well, ain't this just a wonderful new smell we've discovered?" * "JIB-THROW!" - Throwing Invader Jib at the enemy on impulse to distract and disable. * "-Yeah, That's fine and all, but you still owe me 20 monies." Themes Created to fit with the trend of giving one's characters a particular song as a theme, this section is dedicated to the tracks that fill the noise behind Averii. Songs are organized by the source, IE, a Halo Song will be listed under the subsection of that specific Halo. Unless stated, none of these were created by Cravitus and are property of respective owners. Black Mesa - Joel Nielsen. * Forget About Freeman - Intense c''ombat.''' Halo 3: ODST - O'Donnell and Salvatori. '' * '''Traffic Jam ''- Cutting loose. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory - Amon Tobin. * Ruthless - ''Panic.'' * El Cargo - ''Work & Stealth.'' * Displaced - ''Fights.'' * Ruthless (Reprise) -'' Main.'' Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Michael McCann * Main Menu - ''Love & Reminiscing.'' * Shanghai Infiltration - '' Quiet Relaxation.'' Playlist, generation four! Roleplays Below is a list of roleplays that Averii has appeared in so far. Canon (Organized Chronologically) Season 2 * HOBO 13 is HOBO 13 (Incomplete, Paused) * Hatbot Noir (Incomplete, Paused) * Dark Apotheosis, Part One (Complete) Season 3 * Tanz von der Krabben'' (Incomplete, Ongoing)'' Non-Canon * Trials and Errors (Non-canon to the Fanon) (Paused) (First Appearance) * All is Fair in Snacks and War (Non-Canon) (Incomplete) Other Facts * Ave’s teeth are notably sharper and more angular than those of most Irkens, who have more nub-like rounded teeth in comparison. * Averii as a character has traditionally always had his own special insignia - until this specific iteration. ** Even then, there is a design that exists for one, just not factored in yet. * Ave was born on November 9th, if you went by Human Calendars. ** Alternatively, he was born on the 313rd day of a Standard Year. ** Notably, he shares his Birthday with Halo 2's release date''.'' * Averii's favorite method of deployment to almost any fight is by orbital drop pod. * Ave's world is actually an alternate dimension, where significant differences arise in Irken History (and time itself, with the world being five years earlier), yet this fact has gone mostly (If not completely) unnoticed so far. ** The reason that Averii seems to be capable of freely traveling between Z-14 and his dimension is unknown, but may be attributed to anomalies similar to those of a time-based nature created on or near Foodcourtia during the Foodening. ** This contributes to legitimate reasons for his universe in general to have certain traits and quirks others do not share. ** This also contributes to the fact that Averii knows little to nothing of alternate dimensions, the Robloxian Invasion, the Nightmare Realm, as well as being unfamiliar with many of Z-14's Invaders despite overseeing the training of them in his 'home' dimension. *** Oddly enough, Nightmare Averii does not exist in an alternate Nightmare Universe, and instead exists in the 'Primary' Nightmare World. * Averii has either been defective his entire life, and has been pushed further by his injuries he sustained after his run-in with his somewhat explosive destiny, or that he's become defective due to damage from it to his PAK. * His position as ‘Senior Invader’ was made up on-the-spot by the Control Brains. * Ave's studies of literature have led him to become something of a poet; however, he thinks his skill in this area is quite useless in more serious matters. * Ave's singing voice is remarkably similar to Frank Sinatra's. Not that he'd know who that is, or what his singing voice actually sounds like, being an Active Irken Soldier. ** Averii is very afraid ''of singing. * Speaking of Voices, Nathan Fillion (Mal Reynolds, ''Firefly) and Andrew Chaikin (Delta 40 'Fixer', Clone Advisor, Star Wars: Republic Commando) are generally agree to be good fits for Averii. * Averii once took a dancing''' '''course in the Academy. He has only ever put it to use with Entra. ** That said, he became highly skilled in partner-based dances. Not that anyone but Entra would know. ** Ave tends to often fake a poor to nonexistent grasp on dancing when in any public scenario where he must do so. * He can, in fact, play the Guitar quite well, and he himself often respects skilled players of the instrument. * Averii sometimes freezes when dealing with situations involving the word ‘'''cute'’ or things that are ''considered ‘'''cute'’.'' * He quickly grows frustrated and can grow aggressive when things do not go to plan, and when he feels he has been utterly ignored or gone unheard in certain situations. * Averii’s mortal enemies are monkeys of ANY KIND. Simply put, he doesn’t like them, and they sure-as-hell don’t like him. Especially psi-monkeys. * Among Averii's fears are a small dread of Heights, and a massive fear of being captured. * Averii has a distinctive hatred of Soda, and doesn’t really like many chocolates (though he has a soft spot for white chocolate). * Like Entra, Ave prefers to have spiced meads when selecting alcoholic beverages. * Unlike Entra, Ave started as a lightweight drinker and progressively became highly tolerant of Alcohol. * Ave was known to play around with Entra's antennae to tease and comfort her. Seen as somewhat odd. * Averii’s favorite food is Nachos. Most of the time, anyway. * Averii has a very high cold tolerance, but has a rather low heat tolerance due both to high blood pressure and a higher-than-average body temperature - as well as an inherent resistance to cold. * The current Averii was inspired by various things, like Nathan Fillion's characters of Mal Reynolds and Edward Buck (from Firefly and Halo, respectively). * His serial number (A-1-22-16-66) references the name he originally had in 2011 (AvP66). * Ave’s shock-spear is essentially a bigger, tougher, and sharper version of the standard painted in neutral colors. ** With the ability to shoot laserbeams and lightning bolts, as well as plasma. ** In other terms, it’s a Shock Rifle from Unreal Tournament built into a bigger, scarier Shock Spear. Gallery AveAges1.png AveEliteMK3.png AveJacketMK4F.png AvePort3A.png AvePort3B.png AvePort3D.gif ORBITBREAKER.png VOIDSPLITTER.png AveFormal4.png AveStealth.png ArmoredAveMK2.png AveEliteMK2.png Rex.png Avent.png 80sAve.png AveEliteMK2C.png LacerAve.png AveElite2016.png FedoraAve.png ClassyAve-Entra.png Mlg italian mob boss ave.gif UnspokenWords.png ArmoredAve2Portrait.png Ave Lurch Grudge Match.png AveFormalMK3.png AvePortrait.gif AveEliteMK1.png AveFormalDoodle.png Ave2013.png ChrysMK2Ref.png ESpear.gif AveEShock1.png AveEShockC1.png AveEShockc2.png Chrysalis Class.png AveriiMK7InvaderA.png AveriiMK7InvaderB.png AvP66; The Averii of 2010 The following is a general February 10th, 2015 summary of the 'Original' version of Invader Averii, AvP66, created back in mid-2010 for a deviantART fanfiction called Zim's Assistant. Little to no planning, almost zero experience with fanfictions beforehand (save for an ill-fated attempt at a Halo fanfiction, perhaps 2008 or 2009), and a total lack of skill with MS Paint resulted in the original Averii. Edit 8-25-2015 - I suck at summaries. Will rewrite later. Do NOT read the following if you dislike poorly thought-out/written characters. Simple version: Invader AvP66 is the one Invader who didn't get assigned, being late to Impending Doom II and missing Impending Doom I due to medical reasons. Zim annoys the Tallest for another assistant because GIR's being exceptionally annoying, and so they draw Ave from a random list of names and send him in via teleporter. However, Tak crashes down through the base, hijinks ensue involving a xenomorph that has gestated for years from Av's past. While in a vat of regenerative macguffin, AvP66 gets acid for blood, increased strength and agility, and other abilities due to alien DNA or some such thing. Zim finds more aliens in the bermuda triangle, and Ave gets woken up by a super predator from the Predator franchise. Averii, freshly imbued with things that would require major suspension of disbelief, solves both things with combat-related ease. More in-depth: A young Invader, AvP66 is oddly named, purely because of his indecision at birth, leading him to choose his Smeet batch number instead. For the first few years of his life, Av (As some called him) served in the Academy for the standard ten years along with his future squadmates. Immediately after graduating from the Academy, Av and four of his squadmates (Lee, Kai, Mai, and Zoe) (Green-eyed pervert, orange-eyed short demoman, purple-eyed generic annoying girl, red-eyed tsundere for Lee) enlist in the 'Irken Marine Corps' along with an unnamed technician. AvP66 then specializes in sniping. Ave builds a reputation as a merciless fighter and a merciless freak who can't share nachos, and due to this is kept at LCPL. Due to association, his squad is made of privates by the time they graduate, and before they even get assigned a starship, Averii and generic technician lady fall off a cliff, and he is forced to eat her to survive, prompting traumatization and introduction of Entra V1 (Initially nameless girlfriend) as her replacement. They are assigned to the Ishipan, an Irken Starship meant to go out and chart planets for future invasion. Over the course of vagueness, Ave and Entra get in generic romance that I (Cravitus) never explored as a young 2010/11 writer outside of hinting at it in the main fanfiction known as Zim's Assistant V1. It is also important to note that AvP66's backstory was never this explained at the time, and probably never was until now. The Ishipan then originally ''got extremely damaged up in orbit around a world with xenomorphs on it, and crashed on it. Survivors get picked off before they realize what's happening over a few days of repairing, and eventually Ave is left in charge and decides to blow the nest up with a bomb while the rest of the survivors camp at home base, Entra included. Bomb is planted, but upon Ave returning alone he discovers the camp is screwed up and the escape craft seems destroyed. Really, though, Entra fled in the ship, forced by Captain Talbolt to evacuate. Also notable is the fact that Captain Talbolt is never actually seen or described in the tales of Old Averii. In fact, not even his appearance was decided until 2015- years after his creation as the ominous overly-tolerant Captain of the ship. Ave then passes out, depressed at the apparent loss of everything, and is secretly facehugged as a Predator ship arrives full of the classic 'jungle hunters' and adopts him. He survives, no one the wiser, and he learns their culture as he gets plasma guns and wrist-blades and all that. He later fixes up an old predator craft, and flees in it when the hunters are attacked by the super-predators. In the alternate version, the ship gets screwed up on Blorch in an event known as the Blorch Stranding. At this time, the character was being reevaluated in terms of 'is this good', prompting the removal of all Alien and Predator elements from the story entirely. Averii and Entra are rescued by separate ships, notably, in this version of their separation, with Ave going off to activate a rescue beacon and Entra staying behind. Averii does not learn of any other survivors than the few who are recovered by ship A. Ave's survival is quietly celebrated. Entra is never informed of him and he never of her as he is promoted, then Invader for his service. Misses Impending Doom I due to plot medical reasons as he recovers from an incident involving someone with explosives during the trials. Misses Impending Doom II due to his ship's lack of fuel. A bit later, 'Invader' Zim continues a cycle of calls to the Tallest asking them for something, ANYTHING to at least supplement him in terms of assistants, with GIR being absolutely infuriating. The Tallest, sick of hearing his voice, have an Advisor look for someone suitable to be sent, yet trustworthy enough to prevent things such as horrible demon squids being sent to The Massive. AvP66's name is top of the list, and thus he's sent. Cut to the short version at the top. And thus was basically all one needed to know about Old Averii; also known as AvP66. '''I regret a good amount of this', but upon review, without it I'd probably never have reached a point of at least semi-acceptability. References * Cravitus (author of page and creator of Averii). * Michael McCann. "Shanghai Ambient." Splinter Cell: Double Agent Original Sound Track. 2005-2006. Michael.McCann, https://soundcloud.com/michaelmccannmusic/shanghai-infiltration-360, 2011-2012. ?-?. Digital. | Page Theme. Characters Category:Fanon A A Category:Elites A A A Category:Males Category:Alive Category:Main Character